Redemption
by Foreshadowing-Ascension
Summary: Aged fourteen, Karissa Zenos was forced to watch the brutal murder of her parents. Now, three years later she is on a mission of justice and revenge. She wants the killer of her parents to be faced with the same pain and desperation her parents were, to feel the hope slowly slip out of their fingers. However, she will learn that death is not always the answer.
1. Chapter 1

The market place was alive and busy. People could be seen far and wide selling objects of all types and sizes; fruits, vegetables, various pieces of furniture and the occasional livestock. Nothing seemed unusual, nothing seemed out of place, not even the fully grown man who leaned close to the animals which were being sold and stroked them with a tender and loving touch as if he were a child.

But just when everything seemed peaceful and perfect, a lone hooded figure made their way through the crowd. Even their presence suggested no matter where they went, they brought trouble. The figure stopped before a stool, examining a piece of jewellery that laid upon the main display shelf. It was a necklace with a cross as the charm, in the center of the cross was a small blue gem.

"Where did you get this?" The figure demanded, glaring at the market trader behind the stool.  
"I...I found it on the streets miss...I didn't steal it, I swear on my daughter's life." The trader stuttered, looking at the hooded figure with eyes full of fear and concern. They were even shaking slightly.

"If I find out different...I will kill you." The hooded figure snarled, picking up the necklace and stormed off without paying for it. They soon came to a stop when they left the market place and entered a bar. Upon entering, they removed their hood to reveal a young woman no older than seventeen with blue eyes and long blonde hair. She had a pale complexion and it was almost impossible to tell what clothes she was wearing due to her cloak. She slowly walked over to the bar and sat down on one of the stools.  
"What can I get you miss?" The bartender asked her. He was a middle aged man with a tanned complexion. His eyes were a deep brown, matching the colour of his hair which bounced slightly as he moved. A pale grey shirt hung over his shoulders, slightly stained with beer, no other clothing could be seen past his waist.

"Water." The girl said in a flat and emotionless tone. The bartender nodded, then walked off to get her the drink she ordered. Whilst he was gone the girl pulled out the necklace she had retrieved from the market, looking at it with eyes full of both pain and sorrow. She then slowly placed it around her neck.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to make a scene?" A voice sighed. The girl turned around, then sighed when she was met with the face of who the voice belonged to. Before he stood a tall male with golden eyes and a slightly tanned complexion. A hood covered his hair, so it was impossible to tell what colour it was. He wore a pristine white shirt, a pair of black trousers and some black boots with burgundy buckles. On his shoulders rested some metal plated armour, which had a black cloak joined to it. However, when facing someone, the inside of the cloak would be red. Upon his chest and arms were similar pale brown tattoos.

"How many times do I have to tell you that stalking is rude?" The girl scoffed and turned her back to him. The male rolled his eyes and sat down beside her, removing a bow from his back and placed it on the bar.  
"Karissa, I know that you have been searching for that necklace for a long time and I know how much it means to you. However, that does not excuse your actions at the market. Threatening to kill a man is not a very good way of making yourself seem less suspicious." The male stated with a harsh tone. The female who he had identified as Karissa turned to look at him with saddened eyes. She then looked down at the bar.

"I'm sorry Brandon. It's just...when I saw it I got so mad and confused. I didn't mean to say what I did. I'll try to keep my cool from now on." Karissa sighed sadly, keeping her eyes focused at what was below her. The male who Karissa had identified as Brandon placed a sympathetic and understanding hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and smiled softly, then looked at the bartender who had returned with her water.

"Is there anything I can get for you sir?" The bartender asked Brandon.  
"Uh, yeah I'll have a beer please." Brandon smiled. The bartender nodded, then walked off to prepare Brandon's drink. Whilst waiting for his drink, Brandon removed his hood to reveal his golden blonde hair.

"When does the ship leave port?" Karissa asked Brandon, taking a sip of her water after she spoke.  
"In one hour. Plenty of time for you to have a drink and collect supplies." Brandon stated.

"I presume you'll be accompanying me?" Karissa sighed, taking another sip of water.  
"Of course. I am your Guardian, it's part of my job description." Brandon smirked.

* * *

After they had finished their drinks, the two returned to the market place and bought various objects. Most of the things they paid for was food and drinks, but clothes, medical supplies and tools were also bought. Soon, the two could be seen heading towards the nearest port. When they arrived they headed towards one of the grandest looking ships that could be seen. The name painted on it's starboard side was "Ocean's Shadow".

"Holly will be keen to see what clothes you have bought." Brandon smiled as he climbed up the ramp.

"All Holly is keen on his clothes." Karissa giggled and followed him up.

"Oh, so all my flirting has been for nothing?" Brandon smirked, looking back at Karissa.  
"You keep your dirty words away from her Brandon, or I will kill you." Karissa snarled. Once the two came aboard the ship, they were greeted with the signs of people preparing to set sail. Shortly after they had set foot on the ship, the ramp was pulled back up and set to rest in it's original place.

"I'll go give the food to cook." Brandon stated and swapped the food Karissa was carrying for the clothes he had. She nodded and walked off, heading down to the crew chambers. She would hand out the rationing to each of her friends. There was one new set of clothes, a small first aid kit and a dagger. The last room she entered was her best friend's room. She was slightly surprised to see Holly sitting at her desk.  
"Holly? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be steering the ship." Karissa asked curiously. Holly turned to face Karissa, her long brunette hair hung over her right shoulder and her green eyes locked with Karissa's blue ones. Holly wore a cream-brown shirt, deep brown trousers and a pair of brown boots which had the same coloured rim as the shirt she wore. A smile formed on her ruby red lips.  
"Karissa! You're back!" Holly exclaimed in delight and rushed over to her best friend, hugging her tightly.  
"Well I wasn't going to let the ship leave without me." Karissa smiled and hugged Holly back.  
"So what clothes did you get me from the market?" Holly asked, curiosity covering her face. Karissa rolled her eyes, then handed Holly the small bag in which her rations had been placed. Squealing in excitement, Holly snatched the bag and rummaged through it like a child who had received a mountain full of sweets.

* * *

A few hours later, the ship was in the middle of the ocean, travelling softly through the waves. Karissa was sitting on the rails at the front of the ship, letting the wind flow through her hair effortlessly. If someone had told her six months ago that she would be sailing across the world she wouldn't have believed them. But it happened and now she was sailing across the sea, on a mission to find the one who killed her parents.

"You know, if we hit a rough wave then you could fall off?" The voice of Brandon sighed.  
"You tell me that every time you catch me sitting here Brandon, yet I never do." Karissa smiled softly. Brandon couldn't help but smile and leaned on the rail, looking out at sea. The two remained in silence for a little while. Neither knew what to say to the other, but sooner or later one of them would think of something.

"May I ask you something?" Brandon asked Karissa, still looking out at the ocean before him.

"Of course." She smiled, turning her head to look at him. He paused for a second, then looked at her.  
"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, it's not too late to turn back and go home." Brandon sighed.  
"I have to do this. My parents deserve justice and I need my mind to be at peace. Every night the same nightmare plays over and over in my head. I can't sleep, I can't relax, nothing can make me stop thinking about what happened. I need to do this Brandon." Karissa explained, keeping her voice very low.

"I understand. I'm sorry, I was just wondering if you were having second thoughts." Brandon stated.  
"It's fine. I just need you to know that this is something that has to be done." Karissa sighed.

* * *

Later that night, Karissa was tossing and turning in her sleep. Her eyes were squeezed shut as her nightmare played out in her head. She was watching her parents slowly get cut to pieces. It was not a sight anyone would wish upon someone, yet it had happened and she had been forced to watch. Her mother had been the first to die, her father followed shortly afterwards. Both deaths had been slow and agonising. Once her nightmare was over Karissa woke up and screamed in fright, tears falling down her cheeks. Holly soon rushed into the room and sat beside her best friend, hugging her tightly and gently wiped the tears away.  
"It was just a nightmare, you're safe, it's alright." Holly soothed and gently stroked Karissa's head. Karissa, who was shaking slightly, listened to Holly's words, trying her hardest to believe them.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Karissa awoke to find herself alone. It hardly surprised her, it was a regular routine. As soon as Holly managed to calm her down and get her back to sleep, she would then leave Karissa and go back to her room. After getting dressed, Karissa left her room and climbed up the stairs. Soon, she found herself surrounded by people who were darting around the deck. They were getting ready to make port.

"Ready to go find the Mage then Karissa?" Brandon's voice asked cheerfully. Rumour had it that there was a very powerful Mage living within a deeply populated city. It was said she could see the future and control almost all of the elements. Karissa had come up with the idea of hopefully recruiting the young Mage.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Karissa smiled and turned to face the tall male who had been standing behind her. As usual, his hood was up and he had his bow wrapped around his back. He was in his Guardian mode.

"Wait up you two! I'm coming with you!" Holly exclaimed, rushing over to the pair.

"Holly, this is going to be dangerous. Who knows what we'll find out there." Karissa sighed.  
"Also, you don't want to get your pretty clothes dirty do you Princess?" Brandon smirked. He often referred to Holly as "Princess" because he knew how much it annoyed her. Those two were like chalk and cheese.

"Keep your mouth shut goldilocks." Holly snarled and stormed off the ship, gaining a slight giggle from Karissa who followed shortly afterwards. Brandon simply rolled his eyes and followed the two females.

Soon, the trio were wondering through the never ending streets, looking for one single Mage.

"I have a feeling we are never going to find her." Brandon sighed, his voice filled with boredom. Karissa simply ignored his comment and kept walking, she was not giving up as easily. After all, if they had this Mage on her team then it would give them an advantage over the enemy. Just then, Karissa spotted something. A woman with skin as pale as her own and hair as pale as snow that was wavy and of an average length. One might think she were a noble. If she was, she didn't seem to want to be one. She wore a pale blue shirt with no sleeves and a matching skirt. Her shoes were blue sandals. The female suddenly turned to look in Karissa's direction. Their blue eyes locked with one another and in less than a second, the girl made a dash for it. Brandon instantly ran after her, accidentally knocking a few people aside in doing so. Holly immediately ran over to those who had been knocked over during the chase and helped them up, apologising for Brandon's rude behaviour thousands of times. Karissa was just about to run after Brandon when a hand grabbed her shoulder and then put her into an arm lock. She was startled at first. No one had ever been able to sneak up behind her before. She struggled to break free, but to no avail, her captor kept a tight grip.  
"Why does your friend chase the Mage? You have no business bothering her." A voice stated. It was a male's voice, and surprisingly there was no harshness to it. There was nothing but curiosity and concern.

"I just want to ask her some questions! Let me go!" Karissa snarled, lashing out furiously. The man let her go almost the millisecond after she'd demanded freedom. She instantly spun around to look at him and was quite shocked with what she saw before her. He was around the same height as Brandon, maybe a little shorter and had a slightly tanned complexion. His hair was a deep red and he had the sides of his head shaven. However, there were some long parts of the back of his hair hanging over his shoulders. He wore a black uniform one might associate with the Eagles. But the thing that shocked Karissa the most was his eyes. There was nothing there, no pupil, no eye colour. It was like he had a plain white sheet over his eyes. He was blind.

"Who are you?" Karissa whispered. The male paused for a second, as if he was wondering if he should tell.

"My name is Kole. I'm a Kaleik and I'm also a close friend of the Mage who you seek." He stated. Just before Karissa was going to introduce herself, Kole suddenly grabbed the fist of Brandon.  
"Karissa? Who is this guy and why are you talking to him?!" Brandon demanded.  
"Brandon, calm down. He's a friend of the Mage." Karissa explained and yanked Brandon away.

"What's going on?" Holly gasped, appearing from behind Brandon.

"Why don't we all just go back to the ship and we can talk calmly there?" Karissa sighed.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the group were gathered around a table. Kole and the Mage sat side by side, neither of them appeared to be nervous or afraid of those sitting opposite them. Brandon had an annoyed look about him. His attacks weren't normally blocked and it annoyed him that Kole, who was blind, had been able to stop him in a flash. Karissa sat beside Brandon, looking at Kole with a curious gaze. She'd never met a blind man who could block attacks, but he was Kaleik. His other senses were more dominant and allowed him to cope in the world. Soon, the silence was broken.  
"Why did you chase me?" The Mage asked. Her voice was small and quite, but authoritative.

"Well, I just wanted to ask you some questions. I'm sorry that my friend here chased you, he always takes things a bit too far." Karissa smiled, ignoring the foul gaze Brandon sent her way.

"What questions did you want to ask?" The Mage asked, looking at Karissa.

"Well, I'm on a mission to find my parents' murderer. I was hoping you would consider joining me on my quest. No one else I know would be able to give us the advantage you could." Karissa explained. The Mage paused and looked over at Kole, who gave a quick nod.  
"I'll join you, but on one condition. Kole comes with me." The Mage stated.

"Like hell he is! I don't trust him. He looks just like those damn Eagles!" Brandon snapped.

"Brandon, right now I do not care for his affiliation! He is coming and that's final. This is my quest and mine alone. I call the shots and you follow the orders!" Karissa snarled, then left the room.

* * *

Soon enough, the ship had set sail for it's new course. Kole and the Mage, whose name Karissa had soon discovered to be Sinead, had both been given a room and had settled in. Brandon was sulking in his room. He hated it when people shouted at him, making him seem like lower than life. Holly was helping Sinead find an outfit more accustomed to life at sea, much to the young Mage's discomfort. After all, dressing up and being girly wasn't exactly her thing. On the other side of the ship, Karissa could once again be seen sitting on the rails. Her eyes were closed and the wind was flowing through her hair like silk. Her eyes slowly opened when she heard footsteps.

"I never got your name." Kole's voice stated as he stood beside her.

"Karissa. Karissa Athena Zenos." Karissa smiled, looking out at the ocean.

"A beautiful name. Greek isn't it?" Kole asked.

"Yeah, though my name doesn't have any relevance to who I am. No one in my family is...was...Greek." Karissa shrugged, looking down slightly when she realised she now had no family left. There was a slightly pause between the two, then Kole eventually spoke.

"I'm sorry about what happened to your parents." He whispered.

"There's no need to be sorry Kole. What happened is in the past, I'm now only focusing on the future, and getting the justice my parents deserve." Karissa stated.

"Still, if you ever need to talk, I am here. Growing up blind where I come from isn't a blessing, it's a curse. I went through a lot of bad times so in a way I can relate to you. So, I'll always be willing to listen should you ever need someone to talk to." Kole smiled.

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Karissa smiled back, then looked back out at the ocean.

* * *

Later that night, the same thing happened as the night before. Karissa had the same nightmare she did every night and woke up screaming. Holly came in and calmed her down, then left when she thought Karissa was asleep. However, something different happened that night. Karissa didn't go back to sleep. She got up and left her room, heading to the back of the ship. Dressed in nothing but a vest and knickers, the cold and harsh wind violently bit at Karissa's pale skin. When she finally reached the end of the ship, she grabbed the rails and pulled herself up onto it. She clung onto one of the poles within arms reach and looked down at the cold water below. She couldn't do it any more. The constant nightmares, reliving the gruesome experience that killed her parents, it was taking it's toll. She was becoming more tired, more stressed, more weak. It seemed like she'd never receive peace. The only peace that could ever offer her some comfort, was death.

"I'm sorry mum, I'm sorry dad, but I can't do this...I can't keep carrying on like there is no weight on my shoulders, like there is no burden I carry. I can't keep acting as if I'm alright when actually my world is falling apart. Everywhere I turn I am reminded of what happened. I don't want to remember it, I just want it to be over. I'm sorry I couldn't make you proud, I'm sorry I couldn't bring you justice." Karissa whispered and closed her eyes. Her hand slowly released the pole and her body began to slowly tilt forwards, ready to fall off the ship and into the icy water that laid below. Just as Karissa felt her feet about to slip off the rail, a pair of hands wrapped around her waist and yanked her back. She gasped in pain as she felt herself land on the deck. She could hear a slight panting beside her, the pant of someone who had been afraid and had run to catch her. Brandon was the first name that crossed her mind. He was her Guardian, he was there to protect her, even from her own suicide. Slowly, Karissa opened her eyes which were still brimming with tears. However, the tears soon faded when she was greeted with the face of the one who had caught her.  
"What the hell were you doing?!" He demanded. It was not Brandon. It was Kole.


	3. Chapter 3

What happened next was very confusing to Karissa. She had always found herself to be a loud and confident person. She didn't care what other people thought of her or what she said. She never had any trouble when it came to speaking her mind. Now however, she found herself unable to speak. Kole had just stopped her from jumping off the back of a ship and demanded what she was doing. Words failed to help her at this point, she just sounded like a stuttering idiot.  
"Where you going to jump?! What good would that have done?! There are people who love you on this ship Miss Karissa! Do you think committing suicide would have not affected them?!" Kole snapped, sitting up and looking in her direction. For a blind man, he certainly had a good sense of direction. She presumed it was his other senses that helped him, sounds and smells especially. Once again, Karissa failed to be able to come up with any words to explain what had been going through her mind, instead she cried. She pulled her knees to her chest, letting out heartbreaking sobs. There was a long pause, then she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and pull her into a hug.

"I know it's hard, but trust me. All the pain will be worth it in the end Miss Karissa." Kole whispered, stroking her cheek gently. Karissa continued to sob, but slowly looked up at him.  
"Y-You don't have to call me 'Miss Karissa'. Just call me by my name Kole." She said quietly.

* * *

The next morning when Karissa opened her eyes, she found herself laying in her bed. When she sat up she looked around to find she was alone yet again. It was something she was getting fed up with. But it was something she knew she would have to get used to. She was going to spend the rest of her life alone and that was a fact. Slowly, she got dressed and then climbed up onto the deck. To her surprise, there weren't many people up there. However she soon discovered that was because it was five in the morning. She sighed and leaned on the rails, watching as the sun slowly rose. She jumped slightly when she felt someone place they're hand on my shoulder.

"You're not going to try and jump again are you?" Kole asked.

"Just drop the subject Kole, I can throw your sorry ass off this ship without even trying. Look, everything just got to me and I made a bad choice. Don't keep talking about it." Karissa sighed.

"I'm sorry Miss Karissa. I-I mean, Karissa." He whispered, causing me to smile slightly.  
"Nice to know you remembered not to call me 'Miss' any more." Karissa giggled. A slight blush came to his cheek and he lowered his head to hide the redness of his cheeks from her. Karissa giggles once again, then looked back out at the ocean, sighing softly.  
"Karissa, may I ask you a question?" Kole asked softly, leaning against the rails beside her.  
"Sure, ask away." Karissa smiled and looked over at him.  
"Is Brandon your partner? He always seems so protective over you. A stranger to the group such as I can't help but wonder if there is something between you." Kole stated, still looking down.  
"NO! NO WAY IN HELL! He's a nice guy don't get me wrong but I'd rather let Holly dress me up like a Princess than be Brandon's partner!" Karissa shuddered, trying to get that repulsive idea out of her head. She could hear Kole chuckling softly, obviously humoured at her disgust.

"I take it he's not a gentleman then and that's why you hate him so much?" Kole asked.  
"Who said I go for gentlemen?" Karissa smirked, then walked off.

* * *

The ship made port some hours later, the city was small compared to everywhere else Karissa had been during her journey. But they needed to go there. Sinead had to pick up some ingredients.  
"Brandon, you go with her. Make sure she stays safe." Karissa ordered.

"Hey, in my company no one is safe." Brandon smirked, but the smug look was soon wiped from his face when Holly slapped him around the back of the head. He then glared at her.  
"Touch that girl in even the slightest and I will kill you." Holly snarled.  
"Jealous are we?" Brandon smirked, then yelped when Holly punched his shoulder.

"You can take that as a no." Karissa giggled and looked over at Sinead who was talking to Kole. The two seemed close, like brother and sister close. Obviously they weren't, it was easy to tell, but they just seemed to have a bond that was unbreakable. A bond of great friendship, yet not a bond of love. Karissa averted her eyes when Sinead and Kole started walking over, feeling herself blush.

"Could Holly come with me? I'd feel better having another girl around." Sinead whispered to Karissa, not loud enough for anyone else to hear. Karissa nodded and then instructed Holly to go with the pair. She watched as the three left and headed through the city, disappearing from sight. She then realised something, apart from the crew, she was completely alone with Kole.

* * *

It seemed like hours later, but what in reality was only a few minutes, Karissa heard a knock at her bedroom door. In an attempt to avoid Kole, she'd hidden in her room, but it didn't go very well.  
"Karissa, are you in there?" His voice called.

"What do you want Kole?" She asked sitting on her bed, as far away from the door as possible.

"Some company...? The crew are drinking and I don't think I'd get much intellectual conversations from them. That and I don't want to get drenched in alcohol when I tell them they smell." Kole stated. Karissa giggled softly and got up, slowly unlocking her bedroom door. She opened it up wide enough for him to walk in, then walked away and sat down on her bed once again. Kole closed the door, then stood there awkwardly. The two remained in silence for a little while.

"So...the crew are getting drunk are they?" Karissa asked.

"Yeah...quite quickly actually. One glass and they're struggling to stand." Kole chuckled.

"Sounds like them." Karissa giggled and stood up, looking out of the window.

She could see Brandon and Holly getting back onto the ship. That had been quite quick.

"You're friends are back?" Kole asked, walking over to look out of the window.

"Yeah. Sinead is with them and it looks like she's got what she needed." Karissa stated.

"So, you'll be able to get on with your mission now then?" Kole asked, standing behind her. Before Karissa could answer, the ship suddenly tilted to the side as it was steered out of the port. Karissa gasped and found herself fall to the side, landing on the bed. Due to the sudden force and gravity, Kole also fell onto the bed and landed on top of Karissa. The two blushed brightly when they realised what had happened and the situation they were currently in.

"I-I'm terribly sorry M-Miss Karissa..." Kole whispered, blushing brightly.

"It's just Karissa, and you don't have to be sorry. You couldn't have helped it. Those poor excuses for sailors are to blame." Karissa giggled and looked up at him. Kole smiled, then leaned close to her, his chest gently brushing against hers and he whispered something into her ear softly.

"I-I don't know what it is...but I can't stop thinking about you. There's something about you that makes me nervous and excited. You're constantly on my mind." He whispered, causing Karissa to blush brightly. Slowly, the two leaned in close and kissed each other gently. So many emotions were flooding through Karissa's mind, so many feelings were engulfing her entire body. When Kole's hand gently ran down her side to the bottom of her top, she could feel herself blush brighter. Her hands worked their way to his shirt and began to unbutton it with great ease. Soon his shirt was resting on the floor and she was admiring the six pack he had. His body was definitely one that would drive any woman crazy. How did she know that? Well, it was driving her crazy so it must have been true. Kole gently broke the kiss between them and kissed her neck softly, causing a soft moan to escape her lips and the blush on her cheeks to brighten even more.

"Y-You're not a gentleman then I take it." Karissa whispered, running her hands down his sides.  
"What makes you say that?" Kole asked, removing Karissa's shirt and dropped it on the floor. He started planting small kisses all over her body, moving down from her neck all the way to her stomach. Each kiss caused tingles to spread all across her body and make her blush even more.

"B-Because a gentleman would wait until marriage to undress a woman." Karissa whispered, smirking softly and gently began pulling his trousers down. He blushed slightly then did the same and after a few minutes the two were laying on her bed completely nude with the door locked.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, we hardly know each other." Kole whispered.

"That doesn't mean we can't get to know each other Kole. I want to do this, and I want you." Karissa stated quietly and gently pulled him into a kiss. He instantly kissed her back and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her slightly closer to him. She gently wrapped her arms around his neck, then rested her head on his shoulder, waiting for him to break her last barrier of innocence.


End file.
